Ballot-box.



J. O. BEAUGHEMIN.

BALLOT BOX.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.2,1914.

1,125,796. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Inventor Wiknesscs:

Attorneys JOSEPH 0. IBEAUCHEMIN, OF IBERTHIERVILLE, QUEBEC, CANADA.

BALLOT-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Application filed February 2, 1914. Serial No. 815,894.

0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. Brannon- EMIN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Berthierville, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to ballot boxes.

In order to more clearly disclose the con-- struction, operation, and use of the inven tion, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the present application.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like reference characters designate the same parts.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross section, showing the closing device; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a disk or ring ballot; and Fig. is a side elevation of the ballot placing pin.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a simple, eilicient, compact, and economical ballot box which may be quickly and easily manufactured in large quantities at moderate cost.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates a box like body or casing the top or upper end of which is formed of a thick block 2 provided with a longitudinal ballot passage 3 extendin completely across the entire end from si e to side and leading vertically upward within said block 2. This passage does not extend through either the top or bottom face of the block 2, but to within a short distance of each face. A pin groove 4 leading inwardly from the front face of the block and extending completely across this block from side to side intersects the passage 3 at a short distance below the top, as in Fig. 3. Preferably, this groove is inclined downwardly toward the center, from the opposite ends, as shown in Fig. '1 The front face of the block, directly below roove 4, is beveled as at 5 to provide space for numbers or other indications, for a purpose to be later disclosed. The center of the top of the block 2 is cut away to form {a small hopper 6 the forward part of which ,communicates with the passage 3 about midway of its length. This communicating passage is of a length and width just equal to the width and diameter of one of the diskballots shown in Fig. 5. Directly below the hopper 6 and in line with the passage leading therefrom is formed an are shaped depression in the bottom wall of the passage 3. The groove 4 directlyabove this depression is correspondingly depressed, its depression being so arranged as to be concentric with that of passage 3 and concentric with each disk-ballot seated therein. A plurality 0t tubes 7 are mounted in upper and lower blocks 8 and 9 carried on the inner face of a door, which is hinged to the back of the body 1, and travel therewith. When the door is closed, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the upper open ends of these tubes fall beneath slots leading from the passage 3. These tubes are to receive the disk-ballots. Each tube is graduated, as indicated in Fig. 1 so that the number of ballots may be seen at a glance, the tubes being made either wholly or partly of transparent material such as glass or the like. The bevel face 5, directly in front of each passage leadingto one of thetubes, will be provided with the name of one of the nominees or with a number or other designation corresponding thereto. A pin or rod 10 is secured to the box by a staple and chain or'other connecting means and is used to deliver the ballot into the proper tube, as will later appear. Should it be desired to shut off any particular tube so that ballots may not be deposited therein, a cut off slide 11 is provided-one for each passage leading to the tubes. Thin plates are slidably mounted in horizontal slots or passages which intersect the passage 3. They are longitudinally slotted to receive small stop or limit pins 12 and provided with beveled lugs or shoulders 13 adapted to be engaged by yielding spring pressed conical buttons 14. The spring will yieldingly hold the button in engagement with the bevel of the shoulders, but this yielding engagement may be overcome by forcibly moving the slide. For this purpose, a small lever 15 is provided, having a cranked arm which slidably engages in an elongated opening through the outer end of the slide. Turning of this lever will force the slide in or out as desired, and engagement between the button 14 and respective beveled face of shoulder 13 will hold the slide in either of such positions.

In use, the voter will be given a disk-ballot which he may mark in the usual manner. He then places it in the hopper 6 and moves it forward into the passage leading therefrom into passage 3. When the disk drops into the depression in the passage 3, the voter will intersect the pin 10 through the corresponding depression in the groove 4, and through the center of the disk. He then moves the pin and disk along the groove 4 and passage 3 until the pin falls above the name or other designation for which he isvoting. At this point, he withdraws the pin and the feed disk will drop through the respective passage and into the desired tube; A

It is thought that the construction, operation, and use of the invention will. be clear from the preceding detailed description.

Changesmay be made in the construction, arrangement and disposition of the several parts of the invention without. in any way departing from the field and scope of the same, and. it is meant to include all such within this application wherein only a preferred form has been disclosed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a ballot box of the character described, a box body, a block closing one end and provided with a ballot passage, an intersecting pin groove, and slots leadingfrom said ballot passage; and a plurality of ba'll'ot receptacles arranged at intervals'beneat'h said ballot passage and adapted to receive ballots therefrom through said slots.

2. In a ballot box of the character described, a box body, a block closing one end and provided with a ballot passage, an intersecting pin groove, and slots leading" from said ballot passage; a plurality of ballot receptacles' arranged at intervals beneath said ballot passage and adapted to receive ballots therefromthrou'ghsaid slots, a movable b ack for said box, and means for supporting said ballot receptacles on said back in such relative positions as to bring them ben'eaththeir respective passages when the back is closed.

3. In a ballot box of the character described, a box body, a block closing one end and provided Withaballot passage, an intersecting pin groove, and slots leading from said ballot passage; a plurality of ballot receptacles arranged at intervals beneath said ballot passage and adapted to receive ballots therefrom through said slots, a disk ballot adapted to be placed within said ballot passage, and a pin adapted to be inserted through said ballot and passed along said. pin groove to the desired point.

4. In a ballot box of the character described, a box body, a block closing one end and provided with a ballot passage, an intersecting pin groove, and slots leading from said ballot passage; and also provided with a ballot hopper and a passage leading from said hopper to said ballot passage; and a plurality of ballot receptacles arranged at intervals beneath said ballot passage, and adapted to receive ballots therefrom through said slots.

5. In a ballot box of the character described, a box body, a block closing one end and provided with a ballot passage, an intersecting pin groove, and slots leading from said ballot passage; and also provided with a ballot hopper and a passage leading from said'hopperto said ballot passage, said ballot passage and pin groove being formed with concentric depressions to position the disk ballot for receiving the end of the pin; and a plurality of ballot receptacles arranged at intervals beneath said ballot passage and adapted to receive ballots therefrom through said slots. 6. In a ballot box of the character described, a box body, a block closing one end and provided with a ballot passage, an inter secting pin groove, and slots leading from said ballot passage; and a plurality of ballot receptacles arranged at intervals beneath said ballot passage and adapted to receive ballots therefrom through said slots, said receptacles being graduated to indicate the number of ballots therein.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

J OSEPH O BEAUCHEMIN.

Witnesses:

A. BASTIEN, O. PIzzocoLo.

Gtipies o fthis' patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 62 

